The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus to test, sustain and improve cognitive ability and, in particular, to such methods and apparatus using analysis and training.
Our actions are mediated and influenced by our cognitive and psychomotor abilities. From the sophisticated to the mundane, everything we do depends on our capacity to understand and effectively interact with our environment. Consequently, any decline in these capacities has an impact on our quality of life. Cognitive and psychomotor performance declines with head trauma, as well as with advancing age.
Systems have been developed to test cognitive abilities. However, these systems only measure and analyze mental ability, and they fall short of attempting to arrest the effects of aging on cognitive abilities. Thus, there is still a continuing need for endeavors to maintain or improve cognitive abilities.
There is therefore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for testing and/or training of cognitive abilities.
There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a method for diagnosing cognitive ability of a user. The method may include presenting a stimulus, receiving a motion Input (generally in response to the stimulus), and analyzing cognitive aspects of the motion input.
The step of presenting may be selected from a group consisting of: presenting a moving stimulus, presenting a stimulus which changes color, presenting a stimulus which changes shape, presenting one or more stimuli and presenting stimuli targeting different senses.
The motion input may be selected from a group consisting of: moving the stimulus, positioning the stimulus, moving a peripheral device to intercept the stimulus, operating a control with discrete states, and adjusting the stimulus.
The stimulus may be selected from a group consisting of: one or more abstract stimuli, one or more meaningful stimulus and a combination of the one or more abstract stimuli with the one or more meaningful stimuli.
The cognitive aspects may be selected from a group consisting of: psychomotor skills perceptual skills, attention skills, memory skills, linguistic skills, decision making/problem solving skills, psychomotor skills, and meta-cogntive skills.
The method may further include determining from the cognitive aspects a cognitive level of the user.
One way to execute the step of analyzing may include testing a preliminary cognitive level of the user and receiving results representative therefrom. The results are then broken up into separate discrete cognitive skills. Then, according to the results, one or more tasks may be created. The one or more tasks may relate to each of the separate discrete cognitive skills and may be presented to the user in order to retest the user for a current cognitive level. Generally, results are received representative therefrom.
One way to execute the step of creating may include creating a first task that tests/trains a first cognitive skill, and using the results of the first task as parameters for one or more other tasks.
The method may further include updating the step of presenting in accordance with results from the step of analyzing, and repeating the previous steps one or more times. Additionally included may be the step of differentiating between false positive and false negative errors.
The present invention may be provided on a computer software storage device that includes a program that executes the described method. The method may be used for training and performed repeatedly, such as several times a week. It may also be used to diagnose or treat dementia, Alzheimer""s disease, Parkinson disease, Hyperactive and Attention Deficit Disorders, as well as learning disabilities, or used in cognitive rehabilitation following stroke, head injury, and alcohol and drug abuse.
The present method may also include customizing the step of presenting for each user in accordance with results to the step of analyzing and/or to generally optimally challenge the cognitive level of the user. The step of updating may include controlling a selection of the stimulus in order to attempt to avoid frustration of the users.
In accordance with the present invention, there is also provided a method for training cognitive ability. The method includes testing a preliminary cognitive level of a user and receiving results representative therefrom. According to the results, the cognitive level may then be broken up into separate discrete cognitive skills, and one or more tasks may be created, each task related to each of the separate discrete cognitive skills. The one or more tasks may then be presented to the user and so that a current cognitive level of the user is re-tested, and results representative therefrom are received. This process may be repeated at least one time.
The separate discrete cognitive skills may include perceptual skills, attention skills, memory skills, linguistic skills, decision making/problem solving skills, psychomotor skills, and meta-cognitive skills.
Creating the tasks may include creating a first task that trains a first cognitive skill and using results of the first task to control one or more other tasks. The method may also include determining an optimal challenge level based on results from the retesting of the user.
The present Invention may also be used to enhance or postpone decline of short term memory, perceptual abilities, and other cognitive and psychomotor abilities in people of all ages.
There is furthermore provided an embodiment for a system for training cognitive ability. The system may include a motion input device, an output device that provides a stimulus, which may be affected by a user manipulating the Input device, and an analyzer which may analyzes data from the input device and determines therefrom cognitive levels.
The system may further include a voice recording device such as a microphone.
The system may further include a processor that determines from the analyzed data the stimuli appropriate for the cognitive level. The motion input device may be either a mouse, a joystick, a foot pedal, a digital pen, a stylus, a motion pad or a steering wheel.
The analyzed data may be data regarding motor skills, complex/continuous motor skills, time required to move the stimulus, movement smoothness, complex eye hand coordination, hand-hand coordination, and/or eye-foot coordination. The system may include a database for storing the analyzed data, where the data may relate to cognitive norns.
There is yet additionally provided a method for diagnosing cognitive ability of a user, including the steps of testing a cognitive level of a user and comparing the tested cognitive level to the data stored in the database, so as to diagnose diseases/difficulties such as dementia, Alzheimer""s disease, Parkinson disease and learning disabilities.
Yet further provided is a method for training driving skills of a user. The method includes the steps of presenting stimuli relevant to driving situations, receiving motion input, from the user in response to the stimulus, analyzing cognitive aspects of the input, interpolating the analyzed aspects into cognitive skills applicable for driving skills, adjusting the stimulus according to the analyzed aspect, and repeating the steps of presenting, receiving, analyzing, interpolating and adjusting one or more times.
The method may further include recording the number and type of mistaken responses and recording the speed of reaction and distinguishing between false positive errors and false negative errors.